Mossberg 88 Special Purpose 12 Gauge Shotgun

I like the the feel and design of this shotgun. Very comfortable to handle. It is not rifled but it is accurate at short to medium range. Easy to get on-target and hold it. I have been putting 3 slugs through it and it kicks like a mule but that is more the shells than the gun. As I recommend this gun with a five-star, remember everything must be used for the proper use.

You just won't find a better pump-action for $250 or less brand-new, not unless you really hunt around for a while. I'd recommend a softer butt pad if you're going for a range day with this. It's very light and manageable, but will beat your shoulder up running 12G 00 Buck shot. Any shotgun will.

Didn't give 5 stars as I felt badly for those who paid thousands of dollars for their home defense shotgun. Yes, I know it is NOT a semi-auto, yes, it is only $200 and YGWYPF, but given these shortcomings, this SG is an amazing buy for what it do and its use as a home defense gun. I put the pistol grip on it that it comes with and although its harder to handle this way, its shorter line in smaller spaces makes it worth doing. Clean throws on re-loads, lighter weight and shorter line w pistol grip, a SG to own as primary or secondary back-up. A no brainier purchase.

I upgraded to this model from an H&R Pardner Pump. The thing weighed a metric ton, but worked well. This is significantly lighter, and boasts an impressive 7 shell capacity with 2 3/4 standard size shells. Can accept 3 inch magnums! Performs excellently. I trust my home to it. You could, too.

I bought one of these took it home shells would not come out of mag tube. took it back all three other Mavericks at store had same issue I would recommend spending a couple more dollars and getting something better. I ended up with a 500. And I wanted thus gun to work so bad. I wanted two of them honestly. And would have bought two. But not sure they can be trusted

I did purchase the Mossberg 88 brand new from Vance and it had a feeding problem where the shells were not entering into the chamber. I have some skills with weapons so I took it apart and found one of the metal feeding arms that most cheaper shotguns have was bent. I straightened it and never had a problem since. It hasn't been the first faulty weapon that I've had brand new, but it did require a little fixing.

I really like this gun. Put it through somewhat of a torture test putting 200 rounds through it right away. Also it holds 8 plus one Wich I thought was awesome. Thanks

Since Remington has gone through some recent bad times, I shifted my shotgun needs to Mossberg for a change. After purchasing a Maverick 88, I can't complain about the money spent. The Maverick 88 got its name from its birthplace Maverick County, Texas, and the year, 1988 when production of the Maverick 88 began. My 88 has gone thru numerous range times using slugs, buckshot, and trap loads. No failures to feed and the shotgun shoots point-of-aim. Trigger pull is 5.75# using a manual trigger pull scale. The great thing about the 88 is one can rebuild the internal parts without the use of a gunsmithing tool. A screwdriver is only needed if you need to remove the ejector. The rest of the parts come out by hand. I spray my 88 down with Barricade spray and have yet to see any rust develop. The 88 is a great shotgun for basic needs such as home defense, range practice, and hunting. MCARBO online sells a trigger pack to reduce the trigger pull.

First: the review stating this shotgun is 8+1 is incorrect, the magazine tube capacity is 7 shells of 2.75” length. I haven’t checked capacity of 3” shells. So the listing is correct, this shotgun can hold 8 rounds if the magazine tube is fully loaded plus a shell in the chamber. Second: the pump forearm has more “play” to it than I would like from a home defense shotgun. Cylinder bore, this isn’t a hunter. The steel arms holding the forearm in place feel loose and almost flexible. In a tactical middle-of-the-night intruder situation the last thing I want is for my shotgun to fail to feed due to a faulty mechanism. Four stars for quality, because I know what I paid for this and that’s how that goes. If I wanted undeniable quality I’d have bought an Ethos but I don’t have that kind of money. I’ve got Maverick 88 money. Four stars for performance because I’ve had a Maverick 88 in the past and I know it functions well. It’ll do the job. Five stars for the overall experience. I bought this online on Sunday, and by Tuesday it was ready to pick up. Can’t beat that.

I've owned 500 series Mossbergs many times over the years. Some complaints about them. Hate the 500 safeties. My 535s all dropped the last shell out onto the ground nearly every time no matter how you shucked the pump. Very annoying. Got an 88 last year because it was all they had in stock at the time that I was willing to pay for. Absolutely love the 88. Far more than any of my 500s I've had over the years. Going over this week to pick up the one they have in stock just to have another reliable 12 gauge.